'Attainable luxury' is the name of the new Buick Regal's game – it’s got more than a little luxury, but not so much the price skyrockets

Austin, TEXAS — Coupe-like sedans are increasingly hot. So successful was Audi with its A7 “Sportback,” the automaker copied the formula for its sexy new A5. Porsche and BMW, too, learned that if they were going to keep selling ordinary sedans, they needed more than good interiors and engines – they needed more sizzle with the sirloin. Heck, the “coupe” trend is even now seeping into SUVs.

And why not? “Coupes” not only look more elegant, they come with a desirable fifth dimension — the rear lift gate that gives access to a greater cache of cargo over models stuck with only four doors and a trunk. In Buick’s case, the 2018 Regal Sportback, by stretching the wheelbase 6.6 centimetres and morphing into a coupe, more than doubles cargo space over the 2017 Regal sedan, which will be phased out. Now with 892 litres of cargo room with the seats up and 1,713 with the standard 60/40 split rear seats down, carrying a bike, snowboards or skis with the boot closed is as easy as loading groceries. The rear seats can be optioned to a tri-folding 40/20/40 seat for more flexibility — and they drop by pulling levers at the back. The tailgate, however, is not powered.

The Sportback even gives the otherwise sedate Regal something to chive about. A signature winged grille, new headlamps – LEDs optional – and a chassis that is slightly stiffer yet 90 kilograms lighter than the departing Regal, make the new car less Phil Mickelson, more Rory McIlroy. A low and tailored roof line, wheels pushed further out and a wheelbase almost seven centimetres longer give the car some needed toning. Fetching is probably an understatement; there are definite traces of BMW design in the headlamps, rear hips and tail lamps.

Still, a Regal Sportback is far less money than a BMW or Audi hatchback — oops, sportback — starting at $31,845 for the FWD “Preferred II” trim, rising to $37,345 for the AWD “Essence,” and topping out at $43,845 for the coming GS model that only comes in AWD. An attractive and seemingly useful AWD TourX wagon sold in Europe and the USA is, for now, not slated for Canada, unfortunately. AWD models get eight-speed automatic transmissions; FWD cars come with nine-speed automatics. No CVTs, thankfully.

Not surprisingly, the Regal’s physical changes are felt in the car’s composure. Hurl the five door through the bends and there’s no hesitation or scary overtures, only an encouragement for the driver to push deeper. Standard AWD gives the car a balance that won’t be found on FWD cars. Buick’s new AWD system is as good as the optional systems found in an Audi or Mercedes-Benz, because it uses electronically controlled clutch packs to control which wheels get power.

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

The driveline module will send up to 100 per cent of the power to the front or back wheels as needed, but also side to side as required. While it should be ideal in snow, it does a laudable job in the dry, too, feeling very much like a rear wheel drive car with a pleasing pull of the front wheel through the corners. Absent of lean or heft when tossed about, even into sharp corners, the Regal rides as well as any Infiniti, Acura or Lincoln with which it competes.

While somewhat stingy on feedback, the steering is nevertheless highly accurate, making it easy to point and hold desired lines. Visibility is good, though the side mirrors are small and the rear view somewhat contained. But quiet? You want quiet? A layer of foam stuck to the inside of the Continental tires minimizes road noise. Extra insulation and good glass are excellent at eliminating other sounds to the point they detrimentally smother almost all engine noise.

That engine, a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with 250 horsepower, brings 295 lb.-ft. of torque to AWD cars but only 260 in FWD models. We only drove AWD versions, but they felt quick, highly responsive and happily lacking in turbo lag. They are smooth, too – not what you’d expect from a four cylinder. With a dose of engine noise to give some snarl to all the snorting, the Regal could almost go toe-to-toe with cars costing $10,000 more. Fuel consumption was very good, showing a “best” of 7.0L /100 km, but an average of 11.6 during our testing.

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

Derek McNaughton, Driving

Where the Regal shows it is more “attainable luxury” than premium luxury is in the cockpit. Instrumentation on the Sportback is not the clean digital display seen the new Enclave or other cars in this realm, though the Regal GS will be digital. The standard Regal gets analog gauges paired with a small (and dated) digital screen that looks more Chevy Malibu than Mercedes. While hard plastics are few, and fit and finish is good, there’s an elegance and sophistication that’s missing – and no heads-up display, even though most controls are easy to see, find and operate. Standard on every 2018 Regal Sportback is push-button start, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot (a data plan needed after the initial trial period) and five years of basic OnStar. An infotainment system with a seven-inch touchscreen, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, is standard; an eight-inch display with navigation is optional. That seems small in this age of iPhone 8 pluses.

But that, perhaps, is the unique proposition of the Buick Regal: It’s got more than a little luxury, but not so much the price skyrockets. For about $40,000, you get a car with AWD that handles supremely well, feels entirely solid and has more space than an Audi A5 Sportback. That’s hot.